Africa Climate Stories

​Dr. Sara Beth Keough, Professor of Geography at Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan, spent the 2016-2017 school year as a Fulbright Scholar in the country of Niger doing research and teaching in the West African Science Service Center for the Study of Climate Change and Energy at Niger’s national university, l’Université Abdou Moumouni, in the country’s capital of Niamey. Students in the Center’s graduate program observed many negative impacts of climate change in their respective countries. Dr. Keough recorded the reflections of five West African students in her course “Communicating Climate Change.” These stories help to expand the dialogue surrounding climate change to incorporate the experiences of some of the most vulnerable populations in some of the world’s poorest countries.

Modou Pouye, Dakar, Senegal

"The population along the coast has experienced destruction of their homes, graveyards, schools and mosques. Most people who live on the coast are fishermen and the destruction of their homes increased poverty levels in those areas. Some students could not go to school because their school building was destroyed by storms and strong waves."

Coastal Erosion, Senegal

Fatoumata Diallo, Kayes, Mali

"Climate change is shifting the precipitation patterns in Mali. My country receives only a small amount of rain each year, and only during July, August, and September. Thus, soil degradation, the clearing of land, and changing precipitation patterns are causing increased desertification, or the spread of dry areas."

Shari Babajide, Ibadan, Nigeria

"Nigerians and Africans at large are extremely exposed and vulnerable to the negative impact and consequences of climate change. Studying climate change and energy, and coming up with solutions to some of these problem is my contribution to this effort."​

Harou Abass Hadiza, Niamey, Niger

"What I can say is that we were going to the river to just enjoy ourselves, not because of hot days or blackouts. However, in the last few years we are experiencing increasingly hot days and power failure issues. Now, people go to the river to escape the intense heat."

Niger River droughtphoto by Harou Abass Hadiza

Lawali Ibrahim, Maradi, Niger

"The small lake the villagers used for irrigation dried up due to the increases in temperature and reduction in precipitation over the years. I remember when we would go to this village sometimes we went fishing, but now it is not possible to do this because of the quick evaporation of the lake water. This change in the climate affects many families, including mine, in this village."